Today's consumers in the cosmetic, food and beverage market are increasingly interested in healthy life styles, a trend which has produced a sky rocketing demand for health oriented products. Cosmetic and personal care products manufacturers claim that there is burgeoning trend for transparent products for instance those which use clear formulation techniques in their gels and emulsions. Pure xyloglucan extracted from tamarind seed as such does not form a gel; however, it is reported that it forms a thermoreversible gel in the presence of a large amount of alcohol or sugar or by the addition of a polyphenol such as epigallocatechin gallate. It was also reported that xyloglucan alone can form a gel if a part of the galactose is removed. The gel strength became greater with increasing removal ratio of galactose from xyloglucan. Xyloglucan along with xanthan or gellan or curdlan is reported to have synergistic interaction at low temperatures and results in an increase in the elastic moduli. The gelation scheme is different from that observed for an aqueous solution of enzymatically degraded xyloglucan which forms gel at a higher temperature. In the case of enzymatically degraded xyloglucan, the cross-linking domains are composed of aligned xyloglucan chains in the shape of flat plates, whereas no ordered structure was found for the cross-linking domains in the xyloglucan/ethanol system at lower temperatures. Xyloglucan undergoes thermo reversible gelation in the presence of ethanol. The cross-linking domain seems to be formed by random aggregation of xyloglucan chains due to poor solubility in ethanol. The analysis by time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering has revealed that the complete dissolution of aggregates corresponds to the gel-sol transition. Here the cross-linking domain seems to be composed of random aggregates and has no ordered structure. Hence the gels which is crystal clear, colorless, not thermo reversible, non toxic, biodegradable, biocompatible and having an ordered structure and from renewable resources and hence, cost effective are in great demand globally.
Reference is made to Y. Nitta, Y. Fang, M. Takemasa, and K. Nishinar Nishinari, Biomacromolecules, 5, (2004), 1206-1213, wherein the interaction of tamarind seed xyloglucan and epigallocatechin gallate to induce a thermo reversible gelation was investigated and the draw backs are the gel formed was thermo reversible and was not transparent.
Yet another reference is made to Bo-Sook Kim, Makoto Takemasa, and Katsuyoshi Nishina, ‘Synergistic Interaction of Xyloglucan and Xanthan Investigated by Rheology, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, and NMR’, Biomacromolecules, 7, (2006), 1223-1230, wherein the synergistic interaction between tamarind seed xyloglucan and xanthan was found at low temperatures however the draw back is the gels are thermo-reversible.
Yet another reference is made to S. Yamanaka, Y. Yuguchi, H. Urakawa, K. Kajiwara, M. Shirakawa, K. Yamatoya, ‘Gelation of tamarind seed polysaccharide xyloglucan in the presence of ethanol’, Food hydrocolloids, 14, (2000), 125-128. wherein the xyloglucan undergoes thermoreversible gelation in the presence of ethanol at lower temperatures the draw back is that the gels are thermoreversible.
Yet another reference is made to Yoko Nitta, Bo S. Kim, Katsuyoshi Nishinari, Mayumi Shirakawa, Kazuhiko Yamatoya, Toshio Oomoto, and Iwao Asai, Synergistic Gel Formation of Xyloglucan/Gellan ‘Mixtures as Studied by Rheology, DSC, and Circular Dichroism’, Biomacromolecules, 4, (2003), 1654-1660. wherein the gelation behavior of mixtures of tamarind seed xyloglucan and sodium form gellan was investigated. The synergistic interaction of helix-forming polysaccharides and the storage and loss shear moduli, G′ and G″, of the mixtures showed that it is a thermoreversible gel and the draw back is that the gels are thermoreversible.
Yet another reference is made to Mayumi Shirakawa, Kazuhiko Yamatoya, Katsuyoshi Nishinari, ‘Tailoring of xyloglucan properties using an enzyme’, Food Hydrocolloids, 12, (1998), 25-28. wherein the by removing 35% of the galactose residues from xyloglucan of tamarind seed using fungal β-galactosidase, it had the unique property of forming a gel on heating and reverting to a sol state on cooling. The gel strength at a higher temperature was greater than that at a lower temperature. The phase transition between sol and gel was reversible. Gelation was believed to be induced by the association of main chains by hydrophobic binding and the draw back in this type of gels are they are temperature dependent.
Yet another reference is made to Vipul Dave, Mihir Sheth, Stephen P. McCarthy, Jo Ann Ratio, David L. Kaplan, ‘Liquid crystalline, rheological and thermal properties of konjac glucomannan Galactomannan’, Polymer, 39, (1998), 1139-1148, wherein the addition of coagulant through deacetylation, and the gelation is promoted by heating with curdlan to form either a thermo-reversible gel or a thermo-irreversible gel at relatively lower or higher heating temperatures, and the draw back is both are not xyloglucans.
Yet another reference is made to K Nishinari, H Zhang, S Ikeda, ‘Hydrocolloid gels of polysaccharides and proteins’, Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface. Science, 5, (2000), 195-201., wherein the Locust bean gum (LBG) forms a gel by freeze/thaw cycling and the gelation rate becomes a maximum at −5° C. and LBG gels exhibit true gel-like character and the draw back is that both are not xyloglucans.
Yet another reference is made to Yano yoshihiro, Shimada kunio, Fukuda nobuo, ‘Aroma-keeping agent containing polysaccharide having hydrophobic group’, JP2001064668A2, 2001: wherein a cosmetic gel composed of a polysaccharide derivative containing a hydrophobic group as a aroma retention agent is described and the draw back is that they are not xyloglucans.
Yet another reference is made to Abe koji, Miyahara reiji, Nanba tomiyuki; Uehara keiichi, ‘Cosmetics—contains xyloglucan and viscous polysaccharide’, JP10259118A2, 1998, wherein the cosmetic is prepared by formulating a xyloglucan and thickening polysaccharides and a sugar-based surfactant in combination, and the draw back is that they are not xyloglucan gels.
Yet another reference is made to Abe koji, Miyahara reiji, Nanba tomiyuki; Uehara keiichi, ‘Cosmetic for skin—contains xyloglucan and ultraviolet ray shielding agent’, JP10259142A2, 1998: wherein the cosmetic contains xyloglucan and an ultraviolet protective agent, and the draw back is that they are not thermostable transparent gels.
Yet another reference is made to Mori satoru, Asahi kasei corp, cosmetics, an aqueous solution of which with a solid content of 10% has a pH of 5-8, comprises n-acyl glutamic acid salt and xylo glucan, JP 2001278727A2, 2001: wherein the cosmetic comprises an n-acyl glutamate and xyloglucan and is adjusted to pH 5 to 8 to obtain a cosmetic having low irritation, slight stickiness after use, a proper viscosity, not causing precipitation, cloudiness, etc. even at a low temperature an excellent low-temperature stability and the draw back is that they are not transparent stable gels.
Yet another reference is made to Shibata saori, Nippon shikizai inc, ‘Gel-form cosmetics useful as make-up cosmetic or basic cosmetic such as face wash, milky lotion, cream or foundation, contain xyloglucan, lower alcohol and powder-form component’, JP2006069952A2, 2006: wherein the gel is produced by compounding xyloglucan with a lower alcohol and powder and the draw back is that they are not transparent sturdy gels.
Yet another reference is made to Walker, Greg WO08065388A2: 2008, wherein the method for the formation of the biogel which is a tissue adhesive is described and the draw back is that they are not xyloglucan gels.
Yet another reference is made to Bucevschi mircea dan, Caloianu maria, Musteata bogdan, Alupei comel, Coltmonica, Iordachel radu, Moldovan lucia, Iordachel catalin, Topolniceanu florin, ‘Permeable biogel based on collagen fiber, comprises a brain disease pharmaceutical based on modification by ethyl acrylate and maleic anhydride’, RO0119951B1: wherein a permeable biogel based on collagen fibers, meant for adjusting the flow of biological fluids and glandular secretions, in treating some cerebral and endocrine affections are made but they are not transparent, stable xyloglucan gels.
Yet another reference is made to Knapp, Barry Disalvo, Ronald, ‘Gel-based cosmetic and wound-healing formulation and method’, U.S. Pat. No. 7,217,417, 2007. wherein a gel-based cosmetic and wound-healing formulations, comprises of live yeast cell extract, pigment, and a gel and the draw back is that it is not a transparent, stable xyloglucan gel.
Thus, keeping in view the drawbacks of the hitherto known prior art, the inventors realized that there exists a dire need to develop a transparent gel, which is non toxic and colourless. Also the gel could be made from easily and abundantly available raw material which is renewable in nature.